Golf tee



April 11, 1950 PARSONS 2,503,591

GOLF TEE Filed Feb. 13, 1948 INVENTOR ALLEN J. PARSONS Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLF TEE Allen J. Parsons, St. Paul, Minn. Application February 13, 1948, Serial No. 8,170

' 2 Claims. (01. 273-33) This invention relates to golf tees of simple and comparatively inexpensive construction, which may be conveniently carried by the player and immediately employed for use.

It is an object of my invention to provide a golf tee of very compact, durable and highly efficient construction, adapted to be utilized without projection into the ground or turf. A further object of my invention is the provision of a simple and efficient golf tee which compacts into a very small, rectangular object conveniently accommodated in a small pocket of the user and which in use, will not act to check the swing of a club if the ball-holding element is struck.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a golf tee of the class described wherein a conveniently shaped base member is utilized, adapted to lie flush against the ground or turf without requiring projection of anchorage elements and wherein a swingable and collapsible ball-supporting element is connected therewith for efliciently retaining the ball in position to be driven and for accomplishin the other purposes previously recited. I 1 These and other objects and advantages of my inventionwill be more apparent from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which- Fig. l is a perspective view of an embodiment of my invention with the ball-holding element disposed in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the ball-holding element nested for carrying;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing a somewhat different embodiment of the invention with a golf ball supported for driving thereon; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the second embodiment with the ball removed.

Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, I provide a rectangular wedgeshaped base 6 which may be constructed of any suitable solid material such as wood, plastic or fibrous composition. The upper and lower surfaces of base member 6 are preferably fiat and the top is inclined from the rear edge of the base to the forward edge to lessening striking of the tee with the club even in a poor stroke.

At the forward portion of base member 6, I provide a swingable ball-holding member as shown, in the form of a substantially straight shank 1 having a circular ball-holding eye la integrally formed or otherwise rigidly secured to the upper end thereof and having its inner end swingably connected with a recessed or slotted portion of base 6 to provide for forward swinging of member I when it is desired to collapse the device for carrying thereof or when the ball is struck.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, base member 6 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 6a extending from the forward and thickened end of the base inwardly for a distance slightly less than the length of shank l. The inner end of shank, as shown, is provided with an eye lb whichvis accommodated in the inner end of the slot and is pivotally connected with base member 6 by suitable means such as a transversely disposed pin or Wire 8 extending through the base.

The ball-holding member is thus pivotally mounted in the base for forward swinging and accommodation of the greater part of shank 1 within the slot 6a and with the ball-supporting eye la disposed in close relation to the forward end of the wedge shaped base and lying substantially within the configuration of the volumetric shape of the base. The inner end of slot 6a provides an upstanding abutment 6b for limiting the backward swinging of shank 1 to a position inclined slightly beyond the vertical.

The form illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is quite similar to the form previously described, having a similarly shaped base member 9 provided with a medially disposed, relatively short slot 9a extendin through the thickness thereof. Within slot 9a is confined and accommodated, the pivotal attachment eye 10b of the ball-holding element IU of generally similar construction to the ball-holding element 'l-previously described and having at its outer end, the circular ball-holding loop or eye Illa. A transverse pin or wire ll extends through base 9 to pivotally connect the eye I 01) with the slotted portion of the base.

Ball-holding element ID, as contrasted with the first form described, has its inner end bent at a point slightly outwardly of pivot eye lUb as clearly shown in Fig. 3, to form an elbow which in collapsing of the device, as shown in Fig. 3, causes the shank In to be disposed entirely above the top of base 9.

In both forms of the invention, it will be noted that my device is entirely supported from the base member 6 positioned loosely and flush against the turf or ground of the driving tee without the use of any prongs or projecting elements for anchorage. In operation, the ball-holding element is disposed in upstanding position as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, with the ball-holding loop extending horizontally for proper engagement and support of the ball. The forward end of the base is directed towards the center of the fairway and the ball is struck from behind the ball-holding member. If the lower portion of the golf club strikes the ball-holding member, there is no resistance to the impact or swing and the shank I freely swings forwardly with the club. With this construction, many shots where the club is swung a trifle low, will obtain better results than are present with cone shaped, solid golf tees or tees of the type which are anchored by embedding a, stake or other element in the ground. Furthermore, with the use of my improved structure, damage to turf and ground is substantially eliminated. If the swing of the golfer is too low, the club will ordinarily scrape against the upper surface of wedge shaped base member 6 without slicing a divot from the turf.

In most instances, the drive of a ball causes the ball-holding member to be swung to compacted or nested position as shown in Fig. 2. In any event, as the tee is picked up, the device may be compacted and forms a small rectangular plate conveniently accommodated by a small pocket for carrying.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have invented a simplified, comparatively inexpensive golf tee which will not injure the turf in use and which will withstand long continued use and which is further, particularly adapted to be conveniently carried in a pocket of the user.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, ar-

rangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A compactable golf tee comprising a small, thin base plate having a substantially horizontal under surface adapted to be disposed flush against the ground, said base plate having a recess for accommodation and attachment of a ubstantially straight shank member of small cross sectional shape, a substantially straight shank member having attachment means at its inner end pivoted to said base plate within said recess and being of a length to extend from said recess to a point slightly beyond one end of said base plate and a generally circular ball-holding element affixed to the outer end of said shank and extending downwardly at an angle to said shank when said shank is swung against said plate, means for retaining said shank in upstanding position with reference to said base plate with said ball-holding element bein disposed horizontally a short distance above the top of said base plate, said base plate being wedge shaped in length and tapering from its rearward end to its forward end and said shank being swingable forwardly to position said ball-holding element in closely spaced relation to said forward end and said ball-holding element having a diameter approximating the thickness of the forward end of said base plate whereby said entire structure may be compacted for transportation into the form of a short pad.

2. A compactable golf tee comprising a small base plate having a recess extendin longitudinally thereof for accommodation and attachment of a shank member of small cross sectional shape, a substantially straight shank member having attachment means at its inner end pivoted to said base plate within said recess and being of a length to extend from said recess to a point slightly beyond one end of said base plate, a ball-supporting element ailixed to the outer end of said shank and extending downwardly at an angle to said shank when said shank is swung against said plate, means for retaining said shank in upstanding position with said ball-supporting element bein disposed substantially horizontally a short distance above the top of said base plate, said ball-holding element having a width approximating the thickness of the forward end of said base plate whereby with said shank swung forwardly in collapsed position against said base plate, the entire structure may be compacted for transportation into the form of a short pad.

ALLEN J. PARSONS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,255,140 David Feb. 5, 1918 1,510,302 Bundrow Sept. 20, 1924 1,525,588 Moore Feb. 10, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 374,542 Great Britain June 16, 1932 

